Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Travel topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
High‑school ski club describes proposed Western U.S. and Vermont overnight trips
Summary
A coach presented recurring proposals for an overnight Western U.S. ski trip and an annual Vermont trip, describing student vetting, itineraries, typical group sizes and chaperone needs.
A Pennridge high‑school staff member described two proposed overnight ski trips — a multi‑day Western U.S. ski and snowboard trip and a longstanding Vermont bus trip — as recurring student activities that require board awareness and chaperone planning.
Coach Jason Plow said the district has run the Western U.S. trip since 2015 (except during COVID) and that the itinerary is flexible by destination; possible states mentioned included Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado and Utah. "We try to give the kids just different opportunities with each trip," Plow said, adding the trips emphasize teamwork, planning and student responsibility for meals and lodging.
Details provided: - Western U.S. trip: Sample itinerary includes two travel days and four ski days; destinations vary by year and affect driving time and lodging. The presenter said costs fluctuate and his goal has been to keep per‑student costs as low as possible; in some years he reduced per‑student price by more than $300 through vendor choices. - Vermont trip: The Vermont trip is an annual bus trip run for more than 20 years with an established set of vendors in New England; typical schedule is travel on Friday, skiing Saturday and Sunday, and return Sunday night. - Student vetting and size: Students must be in good academic standing and meet discipline expectations to attend. This year the Western trip carried 14 students (reported as the smallest recent group); typical group size cited was about 18–19 with 21 historically the largest. - Chaperones and safety: Plow said the program seeks volunteer chaperones and works with drivers that provide four‑wheel‑drive vehicles when needed. Board members asked about chaperone needs; the presenter said he was "always looking for more" volunteers.
Discussion: Board members asked about preferred destinations, capacity thresholds for CAP Room (discussed elsewhere in the meeting) and vendor choices. The coach said trips aim to offer students experiences they might not otherwise have, including opportunities to fly and manage independent travel.
Ending: The board heard the proposals and encouraged continued planning; staff said they will follow established trip approval and chaperone recruitment procedures.
